Culvert



May 21, 1935..

M. C. STORMS CULVERT Filed April 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet` 1 INVENTOR.` M E- ETURME 0 ATTO NEY.

M. C. STORMS May 21, 1935.

CULVERT Filed April 24, 1953 www INVENTOR. NL Emma ATTORNEY.

Patented May 21, 1935 VUTSJITED STATES PATENT NOFFICE j cunvna'r Mark Storms, Fort Madison, Iowa Application April 24,1933, SerialNo. 667,621

2 Claims. (c1. fil- 16) v This invention relates to culverts, bridges, conduits, and like` for use under roadways etc. and hasfor one of `its objects the providing of a rigid interlocking construction arrangedin attachable and detachable sections;

A further object of this invention is to provide a culvert or like that has separate preformed units thereby making it possible tol assemble culverts of various lengths. A

A still further object of my invention is to provide a sectional culvert` that when once installed isof great strength,l is held from `longitudinal movements and from transverse movements in any direction.

A still furtherV object of this invention is to provide a culvert that is easily and quickly installed Without` the services of a skilled workman.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a culvert or like that is economical in manufacture and durable in use. 1 0.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in'the art. Y

. My invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement'and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in myclaims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my complete, as-

sembled culvert ready for use.A i

Fig. 2 is a sidelview of some of the portions that make .up the central body portion of 1 the culvert, and more fully illustrates `their interlocking features.

Fig. 3 is 4an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the upper edge portions of the device and shows the dove-tail method of locking the sides of the same with the top of the culvert.

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the central sections of the culvert.

Fig. 5 is a top plan sectional view of one corner of the culvert showingone of the wings in position. l

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the side planks.

The chief objections to most sectional culverts now on the market are that they are not of suiiicient strength and are not interlocked against movement in all directions. A study of the construction of my culvert will disclose that its main body portion is of great strength and is locked against movement in all directions without the use of metal bolts, screws, or nails.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the numeral I0 to designate the bottom planks of my culvert. These planks I0 have their longitudinal axes extending parallel with the roadway and vare the exact duplicates of the top planks of the culvert which I havedesignated by the numeral II. Each of these planks I 0 and II has `longitudinal grooves I2 in `each of its twoside edges, as shown in Fig. 2. l.

The numeral I3 designates an elongated tongue designed to extend into and rest in the two adjacent grooves I2 of any two adjacent planks, as shown in Fig. l. By this construction for holding the` upper planks together and the bottom planks together it is evident that the planks, either bottom or top, will be held and locked against independent upward or downward movement. If it is desired, the 'tongue'I3 may be formedas an integral part Vof a plank and capable of entering the groove of the plank adjacent to it. isalso true `of the side planks. f l

Near vthe outer ends of eachbf theplanks IU and II isa dove-tail groove I4 extending transL versely and completely across the plank- The numeral VI5 `designates the side planksfcf the culvert.V AThe numeral I6 designates a dovetailed tongue formed on each end of each of the side planks I5. These dove-tailed tongues extend `with and progress the `entire'width of the plank. l

Toassemble the top; bottom, `and side planks to form the conduit portion of the culvert, the dove-tailed tongues of the side planks are slid into the dovetailed grooves of the top and bottoni planks, as shown in Fig. 4. In order that the culvert be very rigid and strong, care should be taken that the side edges of the top and bottom planks and tongues I3 are positioned near the center lines of the side planks, as shown in Fig. 2. If it is desired, the body portion of the culvert may be initially assembled in sections. In Fig. 2 a section and a portion of a section are shown with dotted lines showing the ultimate position of the sections when they are placed together. By this arrangement, it is very easy to assemble the culvert at the place of use, and any'length of culvert is possible merely by reducing or increasing the interlocking sections. In each of the side edges of the side planks I5 is a longitudinalgroove I1, as shown in Fig. 6. The numeral I8 designates an elongated tongue designed to rest in and engage each of the two lgrooves I'I that are adjacent each other when similar to the method of securing the top planks together and the bottom planks together. After the culvert is assembled, holes are drilled in the horizontal planks and into the vertical lside planks I5, as shown in Fig. 3. In each of these holes wooden pins I9 are driven. After these pins are in place all the sections and parts of the main portion of the culvert are securely locked against detachment. If the occasion ever arises when it is desired to disassemble the culvert, the pins I9 are drilled out.

By the use of the dove-tailedgrooves I4 and dove-tailed tongues IG, the top and bottom planks are securely held from drawing away from the side planks. This means that the top and bottom planks will be rigidly held in spaced relationship throughout the long life of the culvert. The top planks I I will never become loose. From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that I have provided a highly desirable culvert of easy assembly andl exceptionally strong construction.

Myculvert is also readily adaptable to the at. tachment of railings and wings. In this connection I secure a rectangular frame 2B at each end of the body of the culvert. Ihese frames extend beyond the upper surface of the body of the culvert, as shown in Fig. 1, forsupporting the side railing. This side railing consists ofa vertical plank 2I and a top horizontal beam 22 secured to each of the frames 20, as shown in Fig. l.

In attaching the side wings, it will b e noted thatthe two outer sideedges of each of the frames 20 extend outwardly and laterally, as shown r in Fig. l5. The numeral 23 .designates brackets secured to the sides of theculvert, each having their end inner sides extending parallel with the outer side edges ofthe frame 20 to which they are adjacently spaced apart. The four side wings 2,4 are inserted into the spaces between the brackets and frames and secured. Due to the construction of the frames and brackets just. described, the wings assume the proper positions of extending outwardly and laterally from each corner4 kof the culvert, as shown in Fig; 1.

Although -I have intimated that` my culvert is of wood construction, it maybe successfully made of other suitable material. f

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved culvertV orllke without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, andlit is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents whichmay be reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim: 1 1. In a device of the class described, 'a plurality of four-sided box unitseach having a at bottom portion, two spaced apart dove-tailed grooves in the upper surface of said bottom portion, a at upper portion, two spaced apart dovetailed grooves in the under surface of said upper portion, a side portion having a dove-tailed tongue at one end to engage one of the dovetailed grooves in the bottom portion, and a dovetailed tongue at its other end to engage one of the dove-tailed grooves in the upper portion, a second side portion having a dove-tailed tongue at one end to engage the other dove-tailed groove in the said bottom portion, and a dove-tailed tongue at its other end to engage the other dovetailed groove in the upper portion; said upper portion and said lower portion over-lapping said side portions, a tongue and groove means for tting and securing each of said units to each other to form an elongated conduit, and end portionssecured to each end of the assembled units designed to form wings.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of four-sided box units each having a flat bottom.. portion, two spaced apart dove-tailed grooves in the upper surface of said bottomportion, a flat upper portion, two spaced apart dovetailed grooves in the under surface of said upper portion, a side portion having a dove-tailed tongue at one end to engage one of the dovetailed grooves in the bottom portion,and a dovetailed tongue at its other end to engage one of the dove-tailed grooves in the upper portion, a second side portion having a dove-tailed tongue at one end to engage the other doVe-tailedgroove in the said bottom portion, and a dove-tailed tongue at its other end to engage the other dovetailed groove in the upper portion; said units each having grooves in their end ymarginal edges, tongue members each engaging one of said last mentioned grooves in one of said units and one of said grooves in another unitfor securing said units together to form an elongated conduit, a frame and guard. railing portion secured to each end of the formed elongatedconduit; said frame and guard railing portions each havingat its two outer side edges an outwardly and laterally extending portion, bracket elements secured to the sides of the conduit formed by the units extending in spaced parallel relationship with said outwardly and laterallyfextending portions ofv said two frame and guard railings, and an outwardly and laterally extending wing portion vertically slidably engaging the space between each of said outwardly andA laterally extending portions of said frame `and guard railing and said brackets adjacent thereto.

MARK C. STORMS. 

